Words of Love
by LesMisLoony
Summary: COMPLETE! I have successfully created a love... quadrilateral! Whoo! Why can't they just be two happy couples? Cos then I wouldn't have a plot, of course. Read the sequel.
1. Disclaimer and the Like

Okay, this will require some heavy-duty explanations and disclaimers.  
  
As you know, I have never attempted a serious fic. I quite like this and am rather proud of it. I want to share it with all of you wonderful people out there on fanfiction.net.  
  
HOWEVER, I'm not sure whether this /quite/ qualifies as fanfiction. What's the actual definition of fanfiction anyway?  
  
This fic could not survive without LM, because it shares the plot (sorta) of one of the subplots of the novel. It also uses many of the lyrics.  
  
You see, this is a tale of actors. Yes, actors in LM. No, none of them are real actors, although one of them is loosely based on a wonderful, WONDERFUL, Enjolras who I shall always remember as the NICEST ACTOR IN THE WORLD! The rest of them all live in my mind. Sorta. The main character is loosely based on ME! And another one's based on a guy at school... anyhoosers...  
  
If, after one chapter, you absolutely hate it and want me to remove it because it's not what you consider to be fanfiction, I shall shed many tears and do so. Review and tell me.  
  
On to "Words of Love"... 


	2. And Now I'm All Alone Again

"And now I'm all alone again, nowhere to turn, no one to go to..." Nina mouthed the words as Danielle sang them. "Without a home, without a friend, without a face to say hello to..."  
  
Twice a day Nina stood in the wings next to the runaway cart as Danielle performed this song, wishing she were the one standing in those lights, wrapping in the famous tan overcoat, dreaming of Him.  
  
Nina closed her eyes. "And I can make believe he's here..."  
  
She always tried it. Usually in the afternoon shows, when she wasn't as tired, she could force herself to believe that He stood beside her. His soft, dusty brown hair and beautiful gray eyes... it wasn't fair to the rest of the world that such a gorgeous man could exist.  
  
"...I can live inside my head."  
  
It was working even better than usual today. Nina could actually hear His slow, quiet breathing. Something brushed against her arm, and her eyes flew open. He /was/ beside her!  
  
Scott became aware of her gaze. "She's good, isn't she?" he whispered, motioning towards Danielle.  
  
Nina quickly looked away, nodding. Of course. Danielle.  
  
"Scott?" asked another voice.  
  
He turned around.  
  
"Isn't your next entrance from stage right?"  
  
"Yeah, Mark. I ought to get going. See you two at the barricades."  
  
Mark watched his retreat, then turned to Nina.  
  
"I always stay here until the key change," she whispered.  
  
"I know," Mark nodded.  
  
There was an awkward pause.  
  
"And I know... it's only in my mind..."  
  
Nina smiled. "Key change."  
  
Mark stepped aside as Nina passed. Had she looked over her shoulder, she would have seen him watching her sadly, whispering the words of the song.  
  
"And although I know that she is blind..." he sighed.  
  
It took a few minutes for Nina to maneuver her way around to the other side of the stage. When she arrived, Danielle was almost finished singing.  
  
"I love him," Nina sang along, watching Scott adjust his sash by the curtain, "but... only on my own."  
  
The applause seemed to last forever. Finally the music began again and Danielle ducked through the closing gap in the barricades. As soon as she reached the wings she went to Scott, who put his arms around her waist. "Beautiful," he whispered.  
  
Danielle went to her dressing room to prepare for her death scene while most of the ensemble marched onstage. Mark nimbly climbed the barricade and secured the red flag to a piece of debris.  
  
Nina cheered along with the others. "Get back in character," she thought. "We decided I would be Muchisetta, here to fight for the republic."  
  
Even as she thought this, Ryan approached her and put an arm around her waist.  
  
"This is Joly, my one true love," Nine told herself.  
  
The technique never failed. Nina did not think of anything outside the revolution until Ryan shouted those dangerous words several minutes later: "There's a boy climbing the barricade!"  
  
The shot rang out just as Ryan was helping Danielle over the top of the barricade.  
  
Nina stood offstage with Mark and most of the other revolutionaries, who had left to tie their prisoner to a chair in the café.  
  
Nina winced as Scott tenderly helped Danielle down. "Took the letter like you said... met her father at the door. He said he would give it..." Danielle collapsed into Scott's arms.  
  
This scene... Nina hadn't been cast as Eponine because her death wasn't convincing enough. She supposedly did not understand how it felt to die in the arms of the one you love. Danielle, who had just come from playing Kim in Miss Saigon, had the perfect experience. After all, you just can't cast a former Kim as the factory girl and Fantine's understudy, or so she had been told. But you can cast a former Velma Kelly, Baker's Wife, and Chava as Fantine's understudy? Nina had asked. Don't worry, they said. When Diana leaves Fantine you'll take over.  
  
As Scott cradled Danielle in his arms, Nina tried to look away. She could never tear her eyes from this scene, heart-wrenching for so many different reasons.  
  
Mark suddenly moved between her and the stage. Nina looked quickly up at him. Had he seen? Did he know? Could he understand?  
  
But Mark didn't look at Nina. Mark was watching the death scene, waiting for his cue. When it came, he and few others returned to the barricades and froze at the sight before them. Mark stood at the front of the crowd.  
  
Little Josh dashed toward Danielle and Scott, apparently trying to help. Stuart grabbed the boy and held onto him. Nina had never understood this. What relationship did Gavroche have to Grantaire, that Grantaire would hug him like that?  
  
Nina's cue came. She forced herself to move onstage. To stand still and stare, horrified at the scene taking place, was not a problem. Danielle finally went completely limp, her arm sliding off of Scott's shoulder.  
  
Scott stared at the body in his arms, apparently horrified, then whispered, "...grow."  
  
"Here it comes," Nina thought desperately. She wished she could close her eyes just this once, but she knew that people sitting in the first few rows could see. Nina was forced to watch as Scott slowly kissed Danielle.  
  
"Muchisetta," Nina reminded herself. "My name is Muchisetta, and I am in love with Joly."  
  
Danielle was carried offstage, and Nina could concentrate again knowing that Scoot would spend the rest of the show moping over Amanda. This didn't bother Nina, for she understood that he was only acting. Danielle's death scene was the only thing that irked her so, because she knew that Scott's affections for Danielle were genuine.  
  
At last, the final curtain fell. Nina hurried to the dressing room, where she changed into jeans and a T-shirt.  
  
Joining the little group at the stage door, Nina watched Scott, Danielle, Amanda, John, Diana, and Rob signing playbills. Even Josh had a gathering of fans. Nina sighed. No one ever approached her, saying "Oh my gosh! You were the factory girl! Can I have your autograph?" The mere thought of such a scenario was a little amusing.  
  
Nina had to crack a smile when Rob began scratching the rash that covered his jawbone. He was allergic to the spirit gum that was used to keep his infamous sideburns on his face.  
  
When most of the people with playbills were gone, Scott and Danielle left together. They always went out to eat between the matinee and evening performances. Nina watched them leave. "And now I'm all alone again," she sighed.  
  
"Nina?" asked a voice from behind her.  
  
She turned to see Mark standing in the doorway. He didn't look much different in normal clothes than he did onstage – he had dark hair and soft blue eyes.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
Mark was actually not bad looking, although everyone paled next to the gorgeous Scott.  
  
"Do you... have dinner plans?" he asked awkwardly.  
  
Nina smiled and shook her head.  
  
"Would you- do you want- I mean..."  
  
"Sure," she answered.  
  
"Really?"  
  
"I'd love to."  
  
Mark was sweet. Going to dinner with him was a much better idea than spending the time alone in a restaurant, wishing that she could be Danielle for just one day.  
  
Mark offered her his arm, and the two set off in the direction of a café. 


	3. Histoire

Sara had loved Les Misérables since she was a kid. She'd carried that obsession into high school, college, and adult life. After dating a man who also loved the show, they were married on Mardi Gras like Marius and Cosette, and she made sure that The Wedding Chorale was sung during the ceremony.  
  
It made perfect sense that, when their first child was born, she should name her after a character from Les Mis. Thus little Eponine entered into the world.  
  
Ever since Sara had seen Les Mis on Broadway in middle school, she had regretted that she had such a late start in show business. The kids playing Little Cosette and Gavroche would have the life Sara had wanted for herself.  
  
She raised Eponine with Les Mis, using "Come to Me" or "Castle on a Cloud" as a lullaby, the opening notes as a wake-up call, and Emile Bayard's illustrations for decorating advice.  
  
As Eponine grew, she also developed a love for the story. At the age of seven, after the child had been in several of the town's children's theatre productions, her parents found her a job on Broadway. Eponine was never famous, although fans of her show exclaimed over her incredible acting abilities at such a young age.  
  
After getting leading roles in such shows as Chicago, Fiddler on the Roof, and Into the Woods, Eponine finally got a chance to try out for her namesake in Les Misérables. Her audition was impressive, but she was not cast as Eponine, as she had hoped. Instead, she was cast as the Factory Girl and Fantine's understudy. She also played various ensemble roles.  
  
The have "The Factory Girl" played by Eponine became a matter of mass confusion. Someone approached Eponine about changing her name, which she flatly refused. Diana, the woman who played Fantine, suggested that she shorten her name. Eponine agreed, and her name in the program was changed to Nina.  
  
When the understudy for Marius was forced to quit the show at the sudden death of his father, Danielle, who had the role of Eponine, suggested her boyfriend take over the role. He was currently playing Chris in a traveling cast of Miss Saigon, but was very welcome to the idea of switching shows.  
  
For the next few months, this new understudy, Scott, played mainly ensemble roles, like Nina. She didn't pay much attention to him. He was handsome, but she was too busy being jealous of Danielle to think of anything besides the coveted role of Eponine.  
  
The first time Scott got to perform as Marius was when Drew, the former Marius, left the show. As soon as Scott began to sing "Only one man, and that's Lamarque..." her ears quite literally perked up. He reminded Nina of Michael Ball, the Marius she had grown up listening to. By the time he finished singing "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables," Nina was madly in love.  
  
She was cruelly reminded of the fact that Danielle and Scott had been dating for more than a year after every afternoon performance, when they went out to eat together. Nina was forced to live the role she had been named for, loving a man who never saw her there.  
  
Although she didn't know it, Nina was not the only person suffering this problem. Nina had always considered Mark, the man who played Enjolras, to be just a friend. He, however, desperately wished that she would notice him. Nina was a sweet, pretty girl with a great sense of humor. Whenever the entire cast went out to eat, he always tried to sit near her.  
  
He had noticed that her eyes constantly flicked toward Scott, and that "A Little Fall of Rain" sent her into obvious agony. Mark had watched as she stood in the wings, mentally singing "On My Own" at every performance.  
  
Of course, he understood how it felt to be hopelessly in love with someone who loved another. He began to position himself near Nina during Eponine's two biggest songs, hoping for a way to ease her pain. The opportunity rarely arose, but he would immediately seize it if it ever did.  
  
Mark admired Nina's talent onstage. Even acting alongside Scott, she could put herself into a character that was nothing like true self. He could only imagine the amazing performance she would give were she Eponine, the character she clearly identified with.  
  
Personally, Mark had trouble concentrating when Nina was nearby. He knew that Enjolras had never loved a woman, something he could have identified with before he had met Nina. Now, it took most of his energy to stay in character whenever she looked up at him from the foot of the barricades.  
  
When Mark finally worked up enough courage to ask Nina to dinner, she was twenty and he was twenty-two.  
  
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\  
  
And mes reviewers:  
  
La Pamplemousse- Ah, but I did know that! You hate Ponine? I don't especially love her... but I don't hate anyone in LM. Not even Bamatabois... or... well, I dunno. I wuv them all!  
  
Eponine-meliara- I shall. I'm even thinking about writing a sequel! *evil laughter*  
  
RoseMisre- I'm so sorry you identify with Nina. Me, I don't really identify with any of the characters... except Sara, from this chappie, who's based on me (my future self) but named after my friend who indirectly gave me the idea for this fic.  
  
Elyse3- I know. It's so much fun to mess with... Twasn't a quicky update, but it's the best I can do, considering circumstances in my family of late (see Mizzies in the Park). 


	4. Honest Men Like Me

"This reminds me of the last time the whole cast went out to eat. Do you remember?"  
  
Nina nodded.  
  
"That was the same day Rob messed up his lines so awfully at the barricades."  
  
"What did he say? I forgot."  
  
Mark laughed. "He said 'Listen, my friends, I have done as I said. I have been to their homes; I have watered their plants. I will tell what I can.'"  
  
Nina's eyes widened. "He didn't!"  
  
"Would I lie to you?" Mark asked, smiling.  
  
Seriously, Nina looked into his eyes. "No... you wouldn't lie to me..." she answered softly.  
  
There was a moment's silence as Nina reflected on what she had just seen. Mark? She had thought of him as a friend. Just a friend. Could he possibly...?  
  
"Do you remember when Rob's bridge didn't come down in time?" Mark asked suddenly.  
  
"No! What did he do?"  
  
"Well, it came time for him to jump and there was no bridge, so he just pretended to stab himself and collapsed."  
  
"You mean he just did this," Nina mimed plunging a knife into her heart, "and fell over?"  
  
"Yeah. We had some angry fans that day."  
  
Nina laughed. "I can imagine. Oh! Once Drew – you remember Drew," Mark nodded. "Well, when Drew was playing Marius he came into Valjean's death scene and missed his line 'It's you who must forgive a thoughtless fool. It's you who must forgive a thankless man.' He got off beat and ended up saying '...Fool! You must forgive a thankless man!' And John nearly laughed right onstage!"  
  
"Once Andy was doing 'Master of the House' and said 'Two percent for sleeping with the mirror twice.' That gave us all some interesting images."  
  
Nina laughed again. "Ew, it really does."  
  
Mark glanced at his watch. "We oughtta go on. The next show starts in an hour."  
  
"Alright then," Nina agreed, putting down her fork.  
  
Mark pulled two twenties out of his pocket. "D'you think that'll cover it?"  
  
"Oh, no. Let me pay for mine."  
  
"It's my treat," Mark insisted.  
  
"But-"  
  
"Oh, great!" the man at the next table exclaimed. "Emma, I left my wallet at home! Did you bring any money?"  
  
His wife shook her head. "What are we going to do, Zach? We've already eaten!"  
  
Mark smiled at Nina and approached the neighboring table. "Sir, I couldn't help overhearing, and I'd like to help," he said, handing the man one of his twenty dollar bills.  
  
"Oh, no, I couldn't-"  
  
"Of course you can. I've got plenty." Mark laid the bill on their table.  
  
"Thank you so much, sir!" the woman said before her husband could object again.  
  
"We'll pay you back," the man compromised. "Where can we find you?"  
  
"Don't bother," Mark replied. "It's only twenty."  
  
As he and Nina turned to leave, the woman beckoned Nina over to her table.  
  
"You've got yourself one good guy. Don't you let him go, hear?"  
  
Nina agreed dazedly. Mark had just given twenty dollars to a complete stranger!  
  
She caught up to him as he was paying the cashier. Mark handed the cashier the other twenty and pocketed the five he got back for change. The man came into a restaurant with forty dollars and left with five.  
  
That woman was right. Mark was a good person.  
  
Would Scott have done something like this?  
  
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\  
  
Ah, the gooey mushiness. Muahahaha Emma I put you with Zach! You know what Zach I mean. Heehee! THAT'S for never reviewing! Arrgh, take that! And that! And that! *runs away into the sunset, cackling disturbingly*  
  
Sorry that update took forever. The day before I was to be ungrounded my computer broke! We just got it back, good as new. Yay!  
  
Elyse3- The sweetness doesn't stop here! This fic isn't very long, but the sequel is! And I'm definitely considering a threquel. That's my new word, by the way. I plan to have it copyrighted.  
  
La Pamplemousse- Whiner, eh? I can see that. If I were to give a girl a Mizzie name, I'd have to use Cosette. It's so much... prettier sounding than Eponine. HOWEVER, if you can call the kid something as cool as Nina, Eponine begins to look tempting. Never Fantine, though.  
  
RoseMisr- Yes, ma'am. Multitasking was invented for my sake. Actually... no. But I'm about done with The Javvie Clause and nearly close to being finished with Beauty in the Beast. Legeo and Gimliet and Mizzies at the Park are just getting started.  
  
eponine-meliara- The sequel is cool. But I have to finish this'n first. My threquel is lacking the ever-important "plot" element... hey, it's an idea turning into a work in progress.  
  
namarie13- Sad now? Muahahaha it gets better. Worse? Sadder? Dunno, but it gets... moreso. 


	5. Conte de son Enfance

Scott had been born in New York City, and he, too, had started his acting career at a very young age. His first Les Misérables experience was at age seven, when he played Gavroche. He stayed with this role for a little over a year, moving on to play Artful Dodger in Oliver!, Chip in Beauty and the Beast, and Winthrup in The Music Man.  
  
Although he was an incredibly cute boy – the kind fans jokingly threatened to kidnap after a show – Scott's family life was difficult. His mother would often pick him up from a show drunk, and he was constantly told that he was ugly, worthless, and a waste of time. After one particularly violent incident, Scott was moved to a foster home. He spent the majority of his young life going from family to family as his foster parents ran out of patience with his acting schedule.  
  
It was not until he, having just turned nineteen, joined a cast of Miss Saigon as Chris's understudy that Scott began to have a social life. He became fast friends with most of the cast, and after a year Scott took over the role of Chris. He and Danielle, the pretty young Korean girl who played Kim, began to date during his second week as the romantic male lead.  
  
Danielle eventually left the show to play her dream role, Cosette, in Les Misérables. To her dismay, she was cast as Eponine: a role that fit her range and appearance better.  
  
Scott kept in touch with Danielle for another few months, keeping his role as Chris. When Danielle phoned him about the opening in her show for Marius's understudy, he grabbed the opportunity to work with her again.  
  
Scott's first day with the cast of Les Misérables was on his twenty-first birthday.  
  
A month later Drew left his role as Marius, having never missed a performance since his new understudy's arrival.  
  
Scott found that he identified more with Marius than Chris. The first time he sang "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables," the audience gave him a standing ovation.  
  
And the factory girl, standing in the wings by the runaway cart, found that she could not tear her eyes from him.  
  
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\  
  
Yes, it was a short chapter, but you're just gonna have to deal with it. I now have a plot for my threquel! Yay! Thank you Pink Velvet, ma cherie!  
  
Oh, and all of the Les Mis bloopers in the last chapter are allegedly real. I found them on a website... I think it was one of the Official Javert Sites or something... I'll try to find the web address someday. It's the Javert site that has a light blue background and... clouds, I think. There's some really funny stuff there.  
  
Elyse3- It wasn't pointless and random – it made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Yay!  
  
eponine-meliara- *laughs evilly* This is the story that never ends! Yes, it goes on and on, my friends! Don't worry! I love Mark too much to let my trilogy die!  
  
Forseti- No... he's based on the guy I've been stalking. I never heard of that Marius, I'm afraid. I named him Scott cos of Christopher Scott, his former role in Miss Saigon. Danielle narrowly escaped being named Kim.  
  
Mlle. Verity le Virago- I generally avoid mush too, but my friend Sara planted this idea a looooong time ago, and it's been haunting me.  
  
RoseMisre- Yay! Thanks for reviewing! I kinda like the gushiness meself, occasionally.  
  
La Pamplemousse- Hmm... I've been afraid of the name Fantine since my spell check tried to change it to Fanny. *shudders* SO WHAT IF SHE WAS A LOVELY LADY? JUST LET IT DIE, MICROSOFT WORD! 


	6. No Song Unsung

Nina and Mark returned to find the entire cast in an uproar. "Oh, Nina! Thank goodness you're here!" Amanda shouted. "It's alright, guys! Nina's here!"  
  
"Oh, good!" John sighed. "We were awfully worried."  
  
"Why?" Nina asked.  
  
"Diana tripped on the stairs at her apartment and broke her arm!" Andy explained.  
  
Rob broke in. "She phoned us from the hospital."  
  
"Fantine's in the hospital?" someone behind Nina repeated. "That's ironic."  
  
Nina's heart skipped a beat. How long had Scott been standing there?  
  
"Oh! You get to be a lovely lady with us, Nina!" Danielle said happily.  
  
John smiled. "It's been a while since I saved you from Rob. After the show we'll all visit Diana, alright?"  
  
"Sounds good, John Val-john," Rob said, punching him in the arm.  
  
"No, it's me who knocks you out, Inspector," John protested.  
  
"Alright everybody! Costumes! Convicts and townspeople. Javert, get your highly impressive hat," Mark called.  
  
"Yes, m'sieur revolutionary," Rob said, bowing.  
  
Nina rushed into the dressing room and grabbed the drab factory dress. Fantine! Excellent.  
  
When the opening notes echoed throughout the theatre, Nina hurried to the wings. The first scene was one of her favorites.  
  
She watched two of the convicts particularly: Scott and Mark. It was obvious that Scott's voice was much more beautiful, and he was drop-dead gorgeous. Mark, on the other hand, was certainly cute... in his own way. Had she misread the look in his eyes? Perhaps she had. Mark was only a friend.  
  
Wasn't he?  
  
"I know she'll wait! I know that she'll be true!" Mark sang.  
  
A constable kicked him over, and Nina could not help but flinch. She rolled her eyes at her own stupidity.  
  
Soon Rob was handing John his yellow-ticket-of-leave, and the convicts were marching offstage. John sang his soliloquy and the stage began to turn, bringing a few of the ensemble toward him. Nina ducked back in the dressing room to have her long brown hair done up under Fantine's blonde wig and bonnet.  
  
John finally tore his yellow-ticket-of-leave into shreds, and the poor of Montreuil-sur-Mer entered. Nina took a deep breath to steady her nerves.  
  
"You'll do fine," Scott reassured her.  
  
Her stomach dropped to her toes. That was all she needed to throw her concentration – thoughts of a hopeless love for Scott.  
  
Hopeless... love...  
  
Perhaps it wasn't all she needed.  
  
"Good," Nina told herself. "Picture this. You've borne Scott's child, but he's gone. You love him, and now he left you with this baby. You couldn't get work anywhere because of her and have left her with a complete stranger..."  
  
She moved onstage with the other factory girls. Sam, as the foreman, proceeded to harass her. He pulled up her dress a little and she ducked away to open her letter.  
  
"And what have we here, little innocent sister?" A swing performed in Nina's usual role.  
  
In a matter of minutes, Fantine was out in the streets. "Scott left me with a child..." Nina reminded herself as her solo began.  
  
Scott stood in the wings as Nina slowly removed her apron and bonnet, tossing them aside. The blonde hair hung all the way down her back.  
  
"Then it all went... wrong..." Nina continued, slowly turning to face the audience.  
  
He was captivated. Never in his entire career in Les Misérables had he heard such a believable performance of I Dreamed A Dream. Scott couldn't even look away when Danielle joined him in her lovely lady costume.  
  
Mark also stood backstage, watching Nina from the place she would exit to. The emotions she displayed were heart wrenching. He could feel her pain in every note, and see the agony all over her face. When the song finished, the audience was silent. Mark held his breath: what did that mean?  
  
As if on cue, the entire theatre burst into a screaming applause. Nina slowly left the stage.  
  
Mark was the first person she saw when she reached the wings. He looked shocked.  
  
"Nina," he breathed, "that was the most... I've never..."  
  
She smiled at him, and Mark noticed tears in her eyes. "What's this?" he asked quietly.  
  
Nina wiped her eyes on her sleeve. "I'm just in character, I guess."  
  
The applause continued throughout the sailors' part at the beginning of Lovely Ladies. They finally quieted down, but there were several more cheers when Nina re-entered.  
  
As Nina joined the lovely ladies, hardly an eye in the theatre was dry. Several of the actors onstage were even blinking back tears.  
  
Backstage, Mark ran the back of his hand over his eyes. Nina seemed so pitiful and lost out there as she threw away the last shreds of her dignity by joining the whores.  
  
Mark was not the only man in the wings who wanted to rush onstage and rescue Nina. For the first time since he had joined the cast, Scott was not watching Danielle.  
  
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\  
  
RoseMisr- Sorry I don't remember the exact site. It's really funny, though. Lots of good stuff, such as LM bumper stickers ("I brake for falling policemen" and "my gamin can beat up your convent student" are two of my favorites.)  
  
La Pamplemousse- Yeah, she had a Ponine range but thought she could somehow get Cosette... I don't know, maybe she's crazy.  
  
eponine-meliara- You should feel bad for Scott. That's my point in the chapter. But, yeah, he is a little doltish.  
  
Forseti- Just like Christopher Mark Peterson, who gave Mark his name! Yay CMP hugs! He hugged me while he was wearing his vest!  
  
Elyse3- Yeah... this story definitely follows one of the Mizzie plots. Ooh... hope that didn't give away too much... 


	7. Do You Hear the People Sing?

After that night, Nina played Fantine with the same intense emotion at every show until Diana's arm healed. When Diana returned several months later, she demanded that she and Nina switch roles permanently, saying that she could never follow up such a "show of angst." Thus, the program was changed:  
  
Jean Valjean: JOHN  
  
Javert: ROB  
  
Chain Gang: Steve, SAM, MARK, Jesse, RYAN, Stuart, Dan, Andy, SCOTT  
  
Farmer: Andrew  
  
Labourer: Jesse  
  
Bishop of Digne: David  
  
Constables: Eric, Charlie  
  
Fantine: NINA  
  
Foreman: SAM  
  
Workers: RYAN, Andrew  
  
Women Workers: Nadine, Harriet, Karen, Nicole, Allison, Carol  
  
Factory Girl: DIANA  
  
Sailors: RYAN, Steve, Dan  
  
Whores: DANIEL LE, AMANDA, Harriet, Nicole, Carol  
  
Old Woman: Karen  
  
Crone: Allison  
  
Pimp: Eric  
  
Bamatabois: Stuart  
  
Fauchelevant: Eric  
  
Chapmathieu: David  
  
Madame Thénardier: Ashley  
  
Young Cosette: Kelsey  
  
Thénardier: Andy  
  
Young Eponine: Courtney  
  
Drinker: Andrew  
  
Young Couple: Jesse, Carol  
  
Drunk: Chris  
  
Diners: David, Harriet  
  
Other Drinkers: Stuart, Eric, Dan, Nadine, Nicole, Allison  
  
Young Man: Steve  
  
Young Girls: DIANA  
  
Old Couple: RYAN, Karen  
  
Travelers: SAM, Charlie  
  
Gavroche: JOSH  
  
Old Beggar Woman: Nicole  
  
Young Prostitute: Nadine  
  
Eponine: DANIELLE  
  
Montparnasse: Jesse  
  
Babet: Charlie  
  
Brujon: Dan  
  
Claquesous: Eric  
  
Enjolras: MARK  
  
Marius: SCOTT  
  
Cosette: AMANDA  
  
Combeferre: SAM  
  
Feuilly: Steve  
  
Courfeyrac: Andrew  
  
Joly: RYAN  
  
Lesgles: David  
  
Grantaire: Stuart  
  
Jean Prouvaire: Chris  
  
Major Domo: RYAN  
  
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\  
  
I put this chapter in to help you with names. I realized that I knew these people very well, but I've already written the sequel and threquel. In order to clear up any confusion as to which ones you care about for this story and its successors, I capitalized Nina's friends' names. Oh, and I capitalized Scott, because she's madly in love with him. Basically, characters that matter are in caps.  
  
Sohara- Thank you VERY much. Such kind words of praise! *feels special*  
  
eponine-meliara- You don't have to wait, cos I'm doing a freak update only two days later! Whoo! Yes, feel bad for Mark. I love him, though, so he's in good hands. Haha... yes, realize how shallow love over a voice and/or face is. I sure as heck can't.  
  
Forseti- Yay for confusion! Basically, this is what could have happened if Eponine had had an Eponine... someone who loved her even though she loved Marius who loved Cosette who loved Marius back. Thus, my love- quadrilateral. Don't worry, everyone will get all the love they deserve... eventually.  
  
anonymous- coming up! There'll be so much Words of Love-ness that you'll all hate me by the time I finish the threquel...  
  
Elyse3- "they're all crazy." How true that is. Remember you said that later on in the trilogy. Yes, alas is fun to say/type...  
  
Andi^^;;- Yay for strange looks! But... ooh... maybe it's a sign... Nina got more than a chance at Fantine – now she IS Fantine! Yay for Nina! I've always wanted to call someone that (John Val-john), but my best guy friend's name is CJ, and somehow CJ Val-CJ doesn't work as well. Maybe I should rename him. 


	8. And When I Lose My Way

A/N- Sorry for the last chapter... it wasn't much of an update, but it took me forever to do. And, yeah, it will come in handy in the future.  
  
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\  
  
Danielle frowned across the table at Scott. He hadn't said much to her in a long time. They'd continued their habit of going out to eat between shows, but he hadn't said anything deep – anything sweet to her for months.  
  
"Scott!" she said suddenly.  
  
He almost fell out of his chair. "I don't know. I hear the salad's good."  
  
"That isn't what I meant."  
  
"What did you mean, then?"  
  
"You haven't paid any attention to me in months!"  
  
Scott blinked. "Haven't I?"  
  
"No!" Danielle snapped. Softening a little, she added, "What changed between us? What happened to our relationship?"  
  
"Our relationship... it's fine, Danielle. We've been together for, what, two years now? How could anything just... change?"  
  
"I don't know, Scott, but something did. Sam asked me out to supper this afternoon."  
  
"Okay. Why didn't you go?" Scott answered absently.  
  
"Scott!" she hissed. "We always go out to eat together!"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
Danielle stared at him. "'Yeah' what?"  
  
"What you just said..."  
  
"What did I just say?"  
  
"You said that..." he paused.  
  
"You weren't listening!" Danielle said incredulously. "You haven't been listening the whole time!"  
  
"No, I heard-"  
  
"You haven't been listening to me for months!"  
  
"Nina, I-"  
  
"Nina? Nina! I'm Danielle, remember? The one you've been dating for two years?"  
  
"Sorry, I was thinking-"  
  
"No, you weren't thinking. Scott, you... you haven't been thinking straight ever since Nina started going out with Mark, is that what it is? Is this about Nina?"  
  
"No, Danielle, listen-"  
  
"You listen, Scott. Listen to me – try it and see what happens. I'm through! We're through!"  
  
"Dan-"  
  
"No. I've already quit the show. I got a bunch of letters from Miss Saigon fans who wanted me to come back to the touring cast, and there's an opening now."  
  
"Can't we work something out? Please, Danielle, I-"  
  
"I've been trying to 'work something out' ever since you got all jealous over Nina and Mark!"  
  
"Danielle, please, listen to me! Just listen for one second."  
  
She glared at him. "I'll give you sixty, and then I'm leaving."  
  
"Thank you," he sighed. "Danielle, please, Nina and Mark aren't dating, and that isn't what was bothering me. I've been-"  
  
"Oh, so if Nina and Mark were dating it would bother you?"  
  
"No! I mean... that's not the point, Danielle. The point is-"  
  
"Scott... look into my eyes and tell me this isn't about Nina."  
  
Scott's face turned bright red, and his eyes remained fixed on the table.  
  
"I see... Goodbye," Danielle said firmly.  
  
He jumped to his feet and followed her into the street.  
  
"No! Go away, Scott. It's over and we're through!"  
  
"Danielle, listen, I still... this isn't... will you please just... I'm sorry, can't I try to explain?"  
  
She turned on her heel to face him. "No. You tried to explain, and it didn't seem to help, did it? If you can't be happy with me, I'll just... I'll..."  
  
For the first time, her determination to end the relationship quavered. Scott saw this and immediately tried to take advantage of the moment.  
  
"Danielle," he said quietly, taking her hand in his. "I promise-"  
  
She snatched her hand away. Blinking back tears, Danielle said again, "Goodbye," and walked away.  
  
Scott started to follow her, but stopped.  
  
Was this what he'd wanted?  
  
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\  
  
I know it was kind of short, but it was plot-ful (unlike my last update). This fic doesn't have too much longer to go. A cyber-cookie to anyone who can correctly find the LM story I'm using here. It might not be obvious at first, seeing how I definitely twisted it.  
  
RoseMisre- Ah, yes, Miz bumper stickers. Always fun, always amusing. I found out why I can't find that site – it's inactive! It was at geocities, but now it's just... gone.  
  
Mlle. Verity le Virago- Yes, it was an evil wannabe update, but it is definitely a reference chart.  
  
eponine-meliara- I know, Elyse3's "they are all crazy" just got it in a nutshell.  
  
Elyse3- We like your observation on the caliber of insanity. Yeah, ominous... that's it.  
  
TaRe-ChiBi- Hello. Well, now that Danielle quit...  
  
La Pamplemousse- I guess she hit her head when she broke her arm. Either that or she was afraid to try to follow up Nina's awesome-ness. Something...  
  
Sahara von Salienta- Salienta is fun to say. But... weird. We have psychic connections... ooh... I was just holding a playbill and replacing names I saw for other names I was making up. I feel... um... psychic, I guess. 


	9. J'attends Que Vienne le Soir

Mark's cell phone rang. He answered it quickly, afraid that the noise had disturbed the others at the restaurant.  
  
"Yes? This is he... Danielle? Really? Then who'll play...? Are you serious? I'll tell her... No, she didn't eat with me today... One of her friends threw her a party... I'll tell her at the stage door... She'll be thrilled! Thanks... Oh, I'm positive she can... no, she's been watching Danielle... most likely... Thanks so much! Thank you... bye."  
  
He pocketed the phone.  
  
Mark and Nina had eaten dinner together after every noon show since the day Diana had broken her arm. Today, however, one of Nina's crazy childhood friends had seen her as Fantine for the first time and was throwing her a party. Because the party was in her honor, Nina had reluctantly decided to attend instead of joining Mark at the café.  
  
Mark paid his bill and left the restaurant. When he arrived at the stage door, he sat on the curb and waited for Nina. Pulling the cell phone back out of his pocket, he changed the ring tone from "I Dreamed A Dream" to "On My Own."  
  
As he was waiting, Mark became aware of two girls standing on the corner with their back to him. He could not help but laugh when he saw their outfits. One had a red shirt with a picture of Lea Salonga as Eponine on the back, and underneath, the words "Her name was Eponine. Her life was cold and dark, yet she was unafraid." The other wore a blue shirt with Philip Quast as Javert. "Stars, in your multitudes, scarce to be counted, filling the darkness with order and light!" was printed below. And if these homemade shirts weren't enough, they had red, white, and blue rosettes (also clearly handmade) and red ribbons in their hair. They wore a number of red and black bracelets, and, to complete the ensemble, each had a red, white, and blue sash tied around her waist.  
  
The girls – one with long, straight hair and the other with curls – clutched playbills in their hands and seemed to be looking for someone. Mark cleared his throat. "Can I help you?"  
  
They both spun around, and the color drained from the longhaired one's face just as quickly as it rushed to the curly haired girl's.  
  
"Oh... my... gosh! You're Enjolras! Wow! It's Enjy, Em!"  
  
The curly haired girl remained silent, her eyes wide.  
  
"We're waiting for my uncle... I think his car got towed. Can we have your autograph?" the straight-haired girl bubbled, holding out her playbill.  
  
Mark smiled and took the program and the pen the other girl was holding out for him. He noticed that nearly everyone else in the cast had signed the cover. "Uh... how long have you girls been out here?"  
  
Again the longhaired one spoke. "We saw the afternoon show."  
  
"And you've been out here ever since?"  
  
Both nodded.  
  
"Wow. That's gotta be... two hours."  
  
"Two hours, twenty-three minutes, and fourteen... fifteen... sixteen... seventeen... eighteen-"  
  
"Quit, Erin!" the curly-haired girl finally spoke.  
  
"But who's counting?" Erin laughed.  
  
Mark smiled as he signed the other playbill. He looked over the other autographs. "Were you waiting for somebody in particular?"  
  
"Well," Erin sighed. "Eponine left right after the show, and we didn't get her autograph."  
  
"Danielle?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Let me tell you something, girls. I just heard that Danielle quit. She's gone back to Miss Saigon."  
  
"What?" the girl called Em asked.  
  
"Oh! We're gonna see that next month!" Erin exclaimed.  
  
Em frowned. "But who'll be Eponine?"  
  
"I will!"  
  
Mark laughed. "Sorry, it's already been given to a good friend of mine – Nina... she played Fantine."  
  
"Oh, that'll be awesome! She was better than... I dunno, but I think I can actually say she was better than Ruthie Henshall was! And Ruthie's the best Fantine ever!"  
  
"Erin!" Em sighed, rolling her eyes. "She couldn't be /better/ than the best Fantine ever."  
  
"Okay then, she WAS the best Fantine ever... Oh... that's hard for me to say. Ruthie's been my favorite Fantine for years..."  
  
Mark was a little confused. "So..."  
  
"So your friend Nina is... she's my new favorite Fantine. Sorry Ruthie! You're still second!" Erin shouted into the air.  
  
"Erin... you're acting stupid."  
  
"Am I?"  
  
"Well... you're acting like yourself."  
  
"Gee, thanks."  
  
A white van pulled up as she spoke.  
  
"Oh, good!" Erin sighed. "They got it back. Thank you, sir! Can you tell Fantine that she's awesome? We didn't see her either."  
  
"Sure," Mark smiled. He waved to them as they drove away.  
  
So Nina was better than the best Fantine ever. It was clear that she identified more with Eponine – loving a man who didn't love her back. He couldn't wait to see what she'd do with the role.  
  
Mark sighed. He was something of an Eponine himself, come to think of it. He and Nina were great friends now, but he knew that that was all they were. Nina's gaze still flicked to Scott when he walked into the room.  
  
He went over the lyrics to "On My Own" in his head, thinking about how they fit his life. "Well," Mark said aloud, "when they make the gender-reversed Les Misérables I'll try out for Eponine. And Nina can be Marius..."  
  
Mark leaned back against the theater wall, waiting for the rest of the cast – mostly for Nina. It was getting dark.  
  
A/N- Ooh... darkness... is it an ominous warning? Is it a sign of bad things to come? Is it the sun revolving around the earth? (Pick that one!) Yeah... Oh, by the way, those girls were me and Emma. I woulda used her whole name, but I already did in my blackmail chapter (which didn't work). Emma... I would say something to you, but I don't believe in cursing. Basically... review my fics it! Yes, I swear by the stars.  
  
I just tried out for musical theatre class! I doubt I made it, but I wasn't TOO bad. My dancing was HORRIBLE, and my scene was okay. My a cappella solo was good. YAY GOOD! Even worse, my stalkee (Squishy my love!) was there with a camera, taping the whole thing. Anyway...  
  
Forseti- Ah yes... So many issues in one story. The sequel and threquel are even worse.  
  
TaRe-ChiBi- One would think, yet Mark is so much cuter...  
  
eponine-meliara- It is, isn't it? Yes, insanity abounds in my little trilogy.  
  
Elyse3- Nope. Good shot. It is a distorted version, but it'll be really obvious what I'm doing in... ah... two chapters.  
  
Andi;;- Yeah, Scott reminds me of Marius... I wonder why. Oh, I think I just broke my space bar... not good.  
  
Mlle. Verity le Virago- That's what I said. Scott is a loser. But he's a very hot loser... so...  
  
RoseMisre- Just feel sorry for them all. That's what I do.  
  
La Pamplemousse- She acts like it, doesn't she? I must say, that's the end of her in this story. In THIS story, not the sequel or threquel...although she isn't MUCH in the sequel, she's very important to the threquel. I should shut up now.  
  
SORRY none of these were very long. I broke the space bar and it's getting very difficult to press. Slowing... me... down... 


	10. No Wine Untasted

"Surprise!" Bri shouted, pulling Nina's hands away from her eyes.  
  
Nina could not help but gasp. Bri had decorated her living room with red crepe paper and streamers. The tablecloth was red (Nina had to fight the impulse to yank it off the table and start waving it around) and was covered with red, white, and blue confetti. The food on the table was fit for Marius and Cosette's wedding.  
  
"It's your Les Mis party!" Bri smiled. "And it's because you were amazing!"  
  
The other girls (all of whom had been in shows with Nina in the past) cheered loudly.  
  
Janet (formerly Roxie Hart to Nina's Velma Kelly) turned on the CD player, and the opening notes of the Complete Symphonic Recording rattled the windows.  
  
"Good grief! Could it be any louder?" Nina shouted.  
  
"Sorry!" Janet called back, twisting the volume knob down.  
  
Bri sighed. "Now you can hardly hear it!"  
  
"What do you mean? It's at a _normal_ level now. You know... so that it doesn't make your ears bleed?"  
  
"I listen to my music way louder than that."  
  
"I never would have guessed," Nina said, rolling her eyes.  
  
Bri laughed. She and Nina had been best friends when they had been in Gypsy together as little girls, although they had rather grown apart since. Bri went to wild parties, and, now that she had turned 21, Nina had no doubt that she drank regularly...hopefully that was all she did.  
  
Gary Morris's entrance to the music gave rise to many groans among the guests, though they were immediately silenced every time Philip Quast had a line. When the convicts were exiting and Gary Morris had begun his solo, Nina ended the girls' misery by skipping to the next song on the CD.  
  
"If they woulda put _anyone_ but that awful country singer in there as Valjean..." April (Hodel to Nina's Chava) moaned.  
  
"Seriously," Amanda (Cosette) agreed. "They've got Philip Quast, but then they have to go and ruin it with a doof like Gary Morris."  
  
Nina smiled. "Doof?"  
  
"Think about it," Amanda laughed.  
  
"You're right. He is a doof!"  
  
The next few minutes were spent in mockery of Gary Morris. April, Janet, Amanda, and Meredith (Tzeitel) sang along shrilly to Valjean's Soliloquy with what Nina called OVD – obsessive vibrato disorder. The frightening thing, in Nina's opinion, was how much they really sounded like Gary Morris. She looked for Bri to point this out, but her friend was gone.  
  
It wasn't long before Bri burst into the room with a heavy cooler in her arms. "Guess what I brought," she grinned.  
  
Nina shook her head. "I don't hold with drinking, and you know it."  
  
"Fine. Your loss," Bri said, opening the cooler.  
  
About half of the girls took a can. Nina got water and colas for herself and the rest of the guests.  
  
By the time Janet was putting in the second disc, it was obvious that Bri was not going to stop drinking until she was sick. Nina consulted her watch. It was a little early to head back to the theatre, but she decided she'd leave anyway. "I'm heading back for the second show. See you later."  
  
Bri laughed. "Won't be too much later, cos I've got a ticket to tonight's show too!"

"Please tell me you're walking!"  
  
"No," Bri said. "But don't worry. I've driven after drinking _way_ more than this and been alright."  
  
Nina frowned. "Don't you dare drive like this. If you want to come to the show again tonight, you'd better walk. You'll hurt yourself, Bri, and I care too much for you to let that happen. Please walk or stay home." With this, Nina left.  
  
As she was closing the door, Bri shouted, "I'll start out in a minute! Let me finish this last one!"  
  
Nina didn't hear.

* * *

A/N- Dun dun dun! I just watched a really bad movie called _Critters_, but the only reason you care is because Terrence Mann was in it! Whoa! Everyone go rent it now, and watch Terry chase aliens! To all of my wonderful reviewers, I don't hate you, I promise! Those last notes were short because I broke my spacebar while I was typing (one side won't work – the side I usually hit) and it was annoying the crap out of me. I'm adjusting to using the other thumb to hit the spacebar, so... yeah. Everyone go read my relatively lame Phantom phic! Yay lameness!  
  
La Epster- I have dressed like that both times I went to see LM. Once on Broadway, once in NC. Next time (and there **WILL** be a next time) I'm going to wear my Javert costume, complete with greatcoat, top hat, and boots.  
  
eponine-meliara- I dunno... I guess they liked her so much they just ignored the understudies' presence. Yeah, that's it. Plus, how cool is it to have someone _named_ Eponine playing Eponine?  
  
TaRe-ChiBi- Ah, but you must expect the unexpected... this is totally opposite from my parodies and whatnot.  
  
Andi;;- They are just like me around someone who played Enjolras. His name was Christopher Mark Peterson and I shall love him forever and ever. He is a very nice man. Yes, he is. And he's an AWESOME Enjy. Notice how I named my beloved Mark after him.  
  
Elyse3- I've put myself into about half of my fics now. Anyway, that was my salute to CMP and my uncle, who goes to NYC every day for work yet doesn't know that "No Standing" also means "No Parking."  
  
Mlle. Verity le Virago- That Nancy was the only good one. Except Dodger (Andrew Blau, I think) who was adorable. But I love all Dodgers. And Fagin was very tall.  
  
Forseti- I did that so much when we went to New York to see Les Mis. All the random actors thought I was nuts (which I am). And I got almost everyone's autographs (EXCEPT TERRENCE MANN!) and... yeah, that was last year. I have a rant about it in my xanga.  
  
RoseMisre- You are SO not alone! And, I LOVE YOU! Don't feel annoying! The only annoying one here is my evil broken spacebar. But yeah, we did that. And actors (CMP) coming back for the evening show did ask us if we were staying to see the second show.  
  
Miranda- Wow! I got nine reviews in one chapter! Yeah, that's probably a record. Anyway, thank you. The "kind of" parallel thing will probably be a SO parallel thing in my next (and final) chapter. But don't worry, I've got an upcoming sequel! And threquel! 


	11. A Little Fall of Rain

A/N- I'm gonna put this stuff up here so as not to ruin the ending with my dorkiness. Sorry that took so long, but my evil computer Bamatabois broke AGAIN. And we had to take him to get fixed AGAIN. But it's all good cos this is the final chapter of the first story in the Words of Love series... trilogy... thing. If you hate me for making a sequel by the time you've finished this chapter, feel free to not read said sequel when I post it. HOWEVER, my good buddy Pink Velvet, who helped me so much with these stories, says the second one is better than the first. So... whatever. Up to you. And yeah, this first story is/was dedicated to my friend Sara M, who gave me the plot idea two years ago with some weird story about a kid who gets plastic surgery to impress the guy she loves... yeah, it eventually became Words of Love.  
  
Forseti- He... sounds... like... a gerbil! Somehow that's... true. Hmm... The people at the LM forum at Le Café say that in the Confrontation he sounds like Javert walked in on him painting his nails and in the sewers he sounds like he's being poked with a stick.  
  
Andi;;- Huzzah! I do adore that PQ. Have you ever heard Secret Garden, more specifically Lily's Eyes? It's got PQ and... I think it's Anthony Warlow too. It's a gorgeous, gorgeous song.  
  
TaRe-ChiBi- I went all the way to Raleigh (a two-hour drive) which is the nearest Barnes and Noble, and I bought a copy and read it in two days. YAY! Ah, beware drunk driving. You'll notice a beer-causes-all-the- problems sort of theme in this little trilogy.  
  
eponine-meliara- I think Kaho Shimada is bad in English. I like Lea and Ma- Anne Dionisio and Diana Kaarina as Ponines. Gary Morris sounds like a woman. Except being a man. Yay for awesome Fagins!  
  
MoonlitEyes- Ugh, I wish there was. We'd send in Gary Morris and Debbie Byrnes and Tracy Shane and... who else needs help? Wow, the only good stuff about the CSR is it's complete, Philip Quast, Mikey Ball, and the Thénardiers. And the Gavroche. And Grantaire. And some people like the Enjy. Okay, okay, the CSR isn't THAT bad.  
  
Elyse3- I like Amanda okay. Actually, I like all the chappies in these fics. I even like my resident doltboy Scott. But Mark is the best ever. YAY MARK! I like Cosette. I didn't really mean to, but I realized a while ago that I'd named Amanda after Amanda Huddlestone, who was a very cute Cosette.  
  
RoseMisre- Have you gone away? Cos I'm updating now. YAY ME! Oh, have fun with the show! Tell me which cast it is/was. I saw the one with Josh Young... and Randal Keith's understudy. And it had... I forgot what I was gonna say. Oh, Steven Tewksbury was Javert! He was pretty good.  
  
As Nina approached the stage door, she saw Mark sitting on the curb. He was leaned back against the wall of the theatre, staring at the cloudy sky. Nina called to him from the other side of the street, and Mark jumped up. "Nina!" he shouted. "Nina, they just called me! I've been waiting for you to tell you that you... You'll never guess what they said!"  
  
There was a squeal of tires at the end of the street. Nina squinted. Through the dusk she could make out a glimmer of headlights. Bri's Volkswagen bug was careening toward them.  
  
Mark did not see. In his excitement, he dashed into the street, putting himself directly in the path of the car.  
  
"Mark, look out!" Nina screamed.  
  
Without thinking, she ran into the road and shoved him out of the way. Mark fell over backwards, landing in the empty lane.  
  
He sat up. There was a second's view of Nina standing in the road with the Volkswagen a few feet away. The next thing Mark knew, she was flipping up over the hood of the car and landing in the street behind. The beetle didn't stop and was soon out of sight.  
  
Mark rushed to her side. "Oh no! No, please don't be dead. Nina! Dear God!"  
  
Nina was still alive. She was bleeding, and her leg lay at a strange angle, but she was conscious. She smiled weakly at Mark and whispered, "Ow."  
  
Mark sank down to the road, ignoring the blood. He carefully pulled Nina into his lap, cradling her in his arms. "You're going to be fine. You'll be alright."  
  
She laughed under her breath. "Yeah, I don't need blood to live. Don't worry, Mark, I don't feel anything."  
  
"No, you're going to live, Nina – oh God! You have to live! You know why? Danielle quit, Nina! She left, and you're going to play Eponine! The role you identify with, it's yours!"  
  
A few of the other cast members had arrived for the night show. They froze in horror at the scene before them. Scott stood at the front of the crowd, his eyes wide. Josh dashed toward the two, as if he would help, but Stuart grabbed him and held him back.  
  
"I'm not Eponine anymore," Nina whispered. "I'm Cosette. The guy I love, he loves me back."  
  
Mark glanced toward Scott.  
  
"No, not him." Nina breathed, clutching Mark's shirt. "It isn't Scott. I don't mean him."  
  
"Who?" Mark asked, confused.  
  
"You, of course," said Nina.  
  
Mark pulled her closer. "I've loved you since you joined the cast."  
  
Laying her head on his shoulder, Nina sighed. "I'm getting your shirt all bloody."  
  
"It's alright, Nina. You're going to be alright."  
  
"For a little while... Mark... why'd you wait so long to ask me out to dinner? You knew I'd say yes."  
  
Mark didn't answer. The only thing he could think was that Nina was still alive. Maybe she'd be alright.  
  
Thunder rumbled in the distance. The gray clouds had turned black.  
  
Nina gasped in pain. "You know, Monsieur Mark," she whispered. "I think I was a bit in love with you."  
  
"No! Don't do that, Nina!" he said, recognizing Eponine's last words.  
  
A drop of rain landed on Nina's arm as it slid from Mark's shoulder. No one else moved as more droplets fell; thinly at first, then more and more until Mark's dark hair was plastered to his brow.  
  
Lightening flashed in the sky.  
  
Slowly, Mark leaned down and kissed Nina's forehead. 


End file.
